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Sylvia Guendelman, PhD, School of Public Health at the University of California Berkeley, 404 Warren Hall, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, (510) 642-2848, sylviag@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Sixty percent of US women are employed and nearly 80% of these work into their third trimester. Strenuous working conditions and occupational fatigue in pregnancy have been associated with preterm delivery (PTD) and low birthweight (LBW) among working women. Associations have also been reported between objective or perceived stressful life events, anxiety, depression, low levels of social support and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Despite major improvements in the treatment of premature infants, significant gaps in our understanding of why women go into early labor still remain. Studies of working women conducted abroad indicate protective effects of taking time off during pregnancy (antenatal leave) insofar as it may reduce stress and fatigue and may improve birth outcomes.
This presentation is based on findings from a 2003 telephone survey of approximately 1200 Southern California women employed while pregnant. We will discuss the extent to which preterm delivery and low birthweight differed between women who took either 1) antenatal leave, 2) other leave (quit, were fired, or cut back on their work hours), and 3) no leave. Using findings from multivariate regression models, in this session we will examine the extent to which work characteristics, employment and lifestyle stressors affect the antenatal leave/birth outcome relationship. Implications of viewing antenatal leave as a possible intervention for improving birth outcomes among working women at risk for poor outcomes will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants should be able to
Keywords: Birth Outcomes, Workplace Stressors
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.